Parishes’ Gathering coming to town

ENNIS will be the setting for a very special Gathering next month that will bring together people from all 58 parishes of the Diocese of Killaloe.

 

Among the highlights of the event will be the launch of the Passport of Faith, an innovative idea aimed at encouraging people to travel to different parishes and places of prayer throughout the diocese.
Bishop Kieran O’Reilly has invited parishioners to join in this year’s Diocesan Faith Gathering, which will take place in St Flannan’s College over the weekend of September 13 to 15.

Every parish in the diocese was invited to include a page in the Passport of Faith, with details about a place of prayer in their area.
Fr Tom Hogan, co-ordinator of the group organising the Faith Gathering explained, “We invited the parishes to detail places of prayer, it could be a local church, a sacred place in the landscape which is associated with the faith story of the parish. Places such as holy wells, old monasteries or pilgrim routes. It is hoped that people will visit these sites, and those who complete seven or more of these sacred sites will be issued with a stamp, a bit like what happens in the Camino. Each parish has identified a site, there are almost 60 in total.”

It was originally planned to publish the Passport of Faith in July. However there was so much interest in getting involved throughout the county that it was decided to instead host the launch  at September’s Gathering.
“It has expanded a little bit because the response has been so good from the parishes in terms of identifying their own local place of significance. Because of the level of interest we had to put extra time and thought into it so we are now going to launch it at the Faith Gathering,” said Fr Hogan.

Around 600 people are expected to attend the Gathering in St Flannan’s, with Fr Hogan encouraging people who wish to attend to return their application forms.
He added that care has been taken to ensure that there is something to appeal to everybody at the Gathering, with a wide range of talks and workshops planned for those who want to explore spirituality.
Over the weekend a number of key speakers will address the question of faith and what it means in Ireland today. Launching the event with the keynote speech will be Dr Ruth Patterson, a Presbyterian minister and director of Restoration Ministries, a Christian organisation committed to peace and reconciliation based in Northern Ireland.

Other keynote speakers will be Dermot Ryan, ordained a priest for Ossory Diocese in 2001 who leads the Adult Faith Development Programme there and Irish Times columnist Breda O’Brien. There will also be a series of workshops exploring a number of issues such as Finding Faith on the Web, The Role of the Single Person in the Changing Church and Faith and Doubt.

Speaking about the upcoming Faith Gathering, Bishop O’Reilly stated, “The weekend is open to all from across the 58 parishes of the diocese. It is hoped that it will be a time to celebrate and reflect on our faith and its meaning in our lives – an opportunity to deepen our relationship with God and to encourage us on our journey of faith.
“Hopefully, it will open up for us ways and avenues of exploring and deepening our faith into the future.”

He went on, “The phrase to accompany the logo of the Congress is taken from the Gospel of St Luke ‘Put Out Into the Deep’ (5:4) and this is the theme for the congress. Jesus spoke these words to his disciples at a time when they were tired and discouraged and they wondered if their work had any purpose or meaning?

“All of us are aware that it is a challenging time to be a person of faith.
“It is precisely at a time like this that we need the encouragement of the Lord’s call, urging us to cast our nets wider and deeper, confident that God’s Spirit will lead us into new and creative ways.”

Commenting on the planned line-up of speakers and workshops for the Gathering, Bishop O’Reilly said, “The organising committee has made every effort to ensure there is something likely to appeal to all age groups. I am particularly happy that there will be a Youth Gathering as part of this event and I look forward to being with the young people from across the diocese.

“I am aware that so many people give of their time and energy in our parishes and clusters in all kinds of different ways: in practical help, in pastoral councils, in different ministries and in many other ways of caring and reaching out. My hope is that this Faith Gathering will be a means of recognising and saying “Thank You” for the contribution that so many are making in parishes and communities across our diocese.”
The Gathering will also see the launch of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan for the coming years.
“This plan commits us anew to working together to support and nurture faith, to ensuring that Christian communities across the diocese are caring and socially involved,” he stated.